SONNETS AND SERPENTS, by Elizabeth Lowham, Shadow Mountain Publishing, Oct. 7, 2025, Hardcover, $24.99 (young adult)
A princess sets out to find her lost love and ends up bound to an academic she can’t stand in Sonnets and Serpents, by Elizabeth Lowham.
A cynical shapeshifter. A hopeful princess. A love they never saw coming.
Silas Bennett grew up in a kingdom where magic-users are persecuted, especially those with the rare ability to transform into animals. After discovering he could shapeshift into a serpent, Silas was nearly killed—only to escape to a neighboring kingdom where he could study and use his magic freely. Now, he is determined to become a professor at the university he calls home, even though he is only nineteen. But first he must distinguish himself in his research field by proving that legendary magic stealers exist.
Princess Eliza, a hopeless romantic inspired by sonnets and their promises of true love, refuses to believe her beloved Henry perished at sea. She will do whatever it takes to find him and bring him home—even if it means traveling to another country and asking for help from a shapeshifting outcast.
With Eliza’s relentless optimism pitted against Silas’s unyielding cynicism, the two enemies can’t seem to have a civil conversation. But when they are unexpectedly bound by a pair of magical bracelets, which can only be unlocked by a kiss of true love, they quickly discover that they’ll have to work together as they navigate different languages, their past prejudices and fears, and a blossoming relationship. When their search for the truth about magic stealers threatens both Silas’s magic and Eliza’s safety, the two must learn to be vulnerable and trust each other’s hearts. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain Publishing
Sonnets and Serpents is a companion to Elizabeth Lowham’s 2024 novel, Casters and Crowns. And while you could read it as a standalone novel, you’ll understand the magical system and backstory a lot better if you read the books in tandem.
The story bounces between Silas and Eliza’s points of view. At first, Eliza comes across as singularly lovesick, with not much more going on. Thankfully, her character develops as the story moves forward. Silas is a bit prickly with a wry sense of humor. He’s definitely the stronger of the two characters.
Sonnets and Serpents features some predictable tropes — enemies to lovers with a magical spin. The story has some good twists, but gets lost a little in the details. Still, it’s a slow-burn fantasy that moves fairly quickly.
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